Original film negative capturing Joe Jackson as a member of the Cleveland Naps, with the image later used in the production of Jackson's 1914 B18 Blanket. Jackson is pictured in his road uniform posing on the field. His gloved arm is fully extended as he leans forward, with his arm, head and eyes all aligned in the same direction. This is a unique image of Jackson and we cannot recall having seen a Type I photograph made from this negative. It is also a rare baseball film negative from the time, an era when the use of glass negatives was still predominate.
Original Joe Jackson Type I photographs are scarce and negatives are rarer still. This is just the third Joe Jackson original negative (picturing him in uniform as a Major League player) we have ever offered. It should be noted that, unlike photos, for which any number of examples can be produced, there is only one negative, making this a true "1 of 1." It also comes with the special provenance of originating from the legendary Brown Brothers Photo Archives.
Joe Jackson remains one the game's most controversial figures. A lifetime .356 hitter, Jackson will always be remembered for his alleged role in the 1919 "Black Sox Scandal," in which he and seven of his teammates were accused of "throwing" the 1919 World Series. Despite being acquitted of the charges in a court of law, Jackson and his seven co-conspirators were later banned from baseball for life by newly appointed commissioner Kenesaw Landis.